Nyamlel Women’s Centre inaugurated in Aweil West to expand opportunities for women
A new women’s centre has been inaugurated in Nyamlel, Aweil West County, to expand access to skills training, livelihood opportunities and leadership support for women and girls.
The centre was inaugurated Sept. 9 by Nicole A. Hofmann, deputy head of mission of Germany to South Sudan, and Alice Oleya Jino, programme manager at the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.
The facility was co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the ResPEct project, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, or GIZ.
The centre was officially handed over to the Women Association of Aweil West during a ceremony attended by local government officials, community leaders, women’s groups, residents and development partners.
“This centre represents far more than a building. It is a safe space, a place of support, and a symbol of hope for women and girls in this community,” Jino said.
Hofmann said the facility would provide women with greater opportunities to develop livelihoods, strengthen their voices and participate in community decision-making.
Located on a 46-by-25-meter plot, the centre has three rooms for training and empowerment activities. It is intended to provide women with access to skills development, entrepreneurship support, business and livelihood opportunities, networking and community engagement.
Since the project began, women have participated in business and financial management, leadership and people-management training, as well as sessions on gender-based violence prevention.
The ResPEct project said 480 women have participated in training activities since September 2025, while 300 stakeholders and 420 young people have benefited indirectly.
The programme has focused on women in Gumjuer Center, Gumjuer West and Meriem East payams, with women from Meriem West and Achana also participating in training activities.
Participants have received training in bookkeeping, business planning, pricing and financial management. The project has also encouraged women to use digital tools to expand their markets and improve access to credit through formal financial records.
GIZ Field Technical Advisor Kenyi Mark Peter Luba said the training provided during construction had helped establish a foundation for sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment.
The project has also engaged men through community dialogues on gender roles and responsibilities, with the aim of strengthening support for women’s participation in social and economic activities.
ResPEct, which stands for “Stop SGBV – Respond, Prevent, Educate,” is a three-year project with a budget of 8.26 million euros. It is co-funded by the European Union and BMZ and implemented by GIZ.
The project supports counselling services, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, women’s groups, community awareness activities and livelihood initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s protection and economic empowerment in South Sudan.
